Answers For A Study in the Book of Acts: Chapters 3 and 4

“Answers For A Study in the Book of Acts” is a new weekly post in addition to the regular “Case for the New Testament” posts on the weekend. The questions are posted on the bottom of the Case for the New Testament” posts the weekend before, and the answer appear here mid-week. This gives you time to answer on your own and then check your answers here. Keep in mind these will be basic answers, and you can go much deeper if you’d like.

Note: The answers will focus on what the text of the Bible says, and commentaries and speculative answers will be noted as such. There are many scholarly commentaries out there but it will be important, as students of the Bible, to keep the text of the Bible as our first source. Commentaries can be used, keeping in mind that they are human thoughts about God’s Word.

Bible Study

Always remember to pray before you study and ask the Holy Spirit to teach you and lead you into the truth found in God’s Word – pray for protection from the evil one who will try to discourage, distract and deceive us.

Read Acts Chapters 3 and 4: Then, to the best of your ability, answer the following questions.

NOTE: Questions are taken directly from the chapters, and answers should be found and cited from the Scripture text in order to be Biblically accurate (unless asked to summarize in your own words). Study Bibles, commentaries and your own thoughts can be used for “Discussion” or “Going Deeper” questions.

The Apostles begin their ministry; Peter and John arrested; The early Church gathers as one under Christ

1. Read Chapter 3:1-26 with your Table Group

In this chapter Peter and John began their ministry with a healing, and Peter gives his second sermon.

a. Describe who Peter and John healed, and how?

Peter and John healed a man who had been lame since birth and he was now over 40 years old (4:22). Just imagine how withered his legs were and what a supernatural (command over biological, anatomical and physiological functions) miracle this was:

“And a man who had been lame from his mother’s womb was being carried along, whom they used to set down every day at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, in order to beg alms of those who were entering the temple. When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he began asking to receive alms. But Peter, along with John, fixed his gaze on him and said, “Look at us!” And he began to give them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, “I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene—walk!” And seizing him by the right hand, he raised him up; and immediately his feet and his ankles were strengthened. With a leap he stood upright and began to walk; and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God; and they were taking note of him as being the one who used to sit at the Beautiful Gate of the temple to beg alms, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.”

Acts 3:2-10 (NASB)

Notice, the underlined parts to answer the question, and the fact that there were eyewitnesses who could attest to what happened to this previously disabled man.

b. How did Peter respond to the crowd that had gathered after this healing and to whom did he give the glory?

First of all, Peter gave the glory to Jesus (the Christ/Messiah) by healing the man in Jesus’ Name. Second, when he realized the crowd was running up to them, as if they were “gods” Peter made sure to give the glory to God, and specifically the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of their fathers (ancestors) who “had glorified Jesus”:

But when Peter saw this, he replied to the people, “Men of Israel, why are you amazed at this, or why do you gaze at us, as if by our own power or piety we had made him walk? The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His servant Jesus, the one whom you delivered and disowned in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release Him. But you disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, but put to death the Prince of life, the one whom God raised from the dead, a fact to which we are witnesses. And on the basis of faith in His name, it is the name of Jesus which has strengthened this man whom you see and know; and the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect health in the presence of you all.”

c. In Peter’s sermon he refers to the fact that they were all witnesses to Jesus death and resurrection. He then goes on to use the Old Testament as evidence. What does he say about the Old Testament in reference to Jesus and what Scriptures did he use (write them down)?

Peter specifically says in verse 3:18 and again in 3:21-: “But the things which God announced beforehand by the mouth of all the prophets, that His Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled.” “…that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you, whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about with God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time.”
Peter then goes on to quote Old Testament Scripture from:

Deuteronomy 18:15 – A prophet will be raised up like Moses

Genesis 12:1-3; and 22:18 – In Abraham’s seed all the families of the Earth will be blessed

And, finally in Acts 3:24 Peter says, “And likewise, all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and his successors onward, also announced these days.”
Peter used the Scriptures the Jewish people would know to “prove” that Jesus was the Christ (Messiah) promised and prophesied about in the Old Testament!

d. Discuss: Write down and share two or three things that you think are important to remember about chapter three. (Answers may vary here)

The Apostles’ ability (given to them by Jesus) to heal – evidenced by their power over the natural laws of biology, anatomy and physiology
The fulfillment of Old Testament Covenant Promises and prophecy directly in Jesus

2. Read Chapter 4:1-12 with your Table Group

In this section Peter and John are arrested, but later released.

a. Why were Peter and John arrested, and how many were saved through their teaching that day?

Peter and John were arrested because (v. 2) “they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.” Consider, Peter and John had not been trained, nor approved, by the Jewish leaders. In Jewish religious culture, teachers (Rabis) had to be rigorously trained through established methods, and new teachers always referred to their Teacher/Rabi, and other predecessors that had established reputations. Peter and John always (and only), referenced Jesus, and that did not sit well with these leaders.
(v. 4) “But many of those who had heard the message believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.” Notice it says “men” so the inference is that many women and children heard the message also, so the actual number was probably much higher. In ancient cultures (and many modern cultures still today) women and children are not considered in voting or counting in other things of importance.

b. How did Peter respond to the Jewish “rulers and elders” when they asked, “by what power, or in what name, have you done this?”

(v. 8-12) “Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers and elders of the people, if we are on trial today for a benefit done to a sick man, as to how this man has been made well, let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by this name this man stands here before you in good health. *He is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, but which became the chief corner stone. And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”

Note: Peter and the Apostles always gave credit to God through the Holy Spirit and in the Name of Jesus, and never took credit themselves. They also used another Old Testament reference (from *Psalm 118:22) that the rulers and elders would have known in 4:11.

c. Discuss: Copy verse 4:12, then cross-reference with John 14:6 and copy that verse. Why do you think these are two very important verses for Christians to memorize?

(Acts 4:12) “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”

(John 14:6) “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”

These two verses are important to memorize because they take the burden off of a Christian who is accused of being exclusive, or intolerant , or something even worse. The claim of Christianity is an inclusive invitation (everyone can come to Jesus), but it is an exclusive claim by Jesus – that He is the only way. It is His house (Heaven) that we will spend eternity in, so it is important that we get to know Him and receive the gift of eternal life that only He can give by defeating death through His Resurrection.

d. Going Deeper: Why, specifically, were the Sadducees upset with Peter and John’s teaching (what was their belief and how was it different from the Pharisees)?

Sadducees were aristocratic heirs that had more power than the Pharisees because they controlled the priesthood.
They regarded only the first five books of the Bible (Torah) as fully authoritative and denied the oral law of the non-priestly rabbis.
They did not believe in angels, spirits, immortality of the soul or the resurrection of the body, but the Pharisees did.
Therefore, Peter and the Apostles’ teaching of a resurrection and afterlife would have not set well with them.

3. Read Chapter 4:13-37 with your Table Group

In this section Peter and John appear before the council.

a. What did the council say and do to Peter and John and how did they respond back?

Even though the council saw the miracle of the man’s healing, they still wanted to punish (and probably kill) Peter and John. However, because of the people’s positive response to the healing, and the testimony of the man himself, the council decided to reprimand and threaten Peter and John:

(4:18-22) “And when they had summoned them, they commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.” When they had threatened them further, they let them go (finding no basis on which to punish them) on account of the people, because they were all glorifying God for what had happened; for the man was more than forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed.”

b. How did the companions of Peter and John respond when they heard “all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them”? What Psalm(s) did they recite from?

Upon hearing what happened their companions rejoiced and gave glory to God through a prayer that included Old Testament Scripture reference to Psalm 146:6 and 2:1-2 along with a recounting of what had happened with Jesus:

(Acts 24-31) “they lifted their voices to God with one accord and said, “O Lord, it is You who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all that is in them, who by the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of our father David Your servant, said, *‘Why did the ^[q]Gentiles rage, And the peoples devise futile things? ‘The kings of the earth took their stand, And the rulers were gathered together Against the Lord and against His Christ.’ For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur. And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence, while You extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.” And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.”

c. What did this early “church” do to survive being outcasts from the Jewish synagogue (4:31-37)? Going Deeper: What did it mean in this culture for someone to be thrown out of the Synagogue, as is what happened to these new Christians?

They began to take care of each other’s needs, and continued to worship God and preach the Gospel through the giving of the Holy Spirit.
The reason they committed to living communally was due to hardship (and some scholars believe a famine was occurring in the land at this time).
This was also due to being thrown out of the Synagogue which would have happened to these early Jews who had chosen to follow Christ and leave the teachings of the religious leaders of that day.
Being thrown out of the Synagogue would affect not only their ability to worship with other Jews, it would affect all aspects of their lives: Cultural, social, business dealings, employment and even the ability to buy or sell food.

d. Discuss: Write down and share two or three things that you think are important to remember about chapter four. (Answers may vary here)

The Apostles boldness to speak about and share the Gospel account, and to proclaim healings and other miracles in Jesus’ Name, under severe threats including the possibility of death.
The new Church’s ability to rise up and take care of each other’s needs in light of their new way of life outside the Synagogue, being outcasts for their faith.

Please continue to join us in making our “A Case for the New Testament” along with a study in the book of Acts, and share it with others!

Note: Class presentation, videos, reflections and Bible study question are posted on the weekend – Bible study answers (like these) posted mid-week.

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Teri Dugan

TeriDugan@truthfaithandreason.com

1 Peter 3:15